1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf putters and more particularly, to a cantilever-weighted golf putter which is designed to concentrate the weight of the putter head at the extremities of the heel and toe of the putter. Concentration of a selected amount of weight at these extreme points in the putter head facilitates optimum stability in use of the putter when a golf ball is struck at the rounded "sweet spot" in the center of the putter substantially in alignment with the putter shaft.
One of the most difficult aspects of the game of golf is the use of a putter, which is typically used on a golf green to strike and propel the ball toward the cup. Putters are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and weights, but are primarily designed with a striking face which is usually flat to facilitate squarely striking the ball and hopefully, propelling the ball along a predetermined path which coincides with the cup. A desirable aspect of putting and particularly, effecting long putts, is "forward" spin imparted to the ball when the putter strikes the ball. The putter design should facilitate production of forward spin on the ball, while at the same time preventing the ball from hopping or skipping, particularly under circumstances where the ball must be struck hard in order to traverse a lengthy path on the green or from the fringes of the green onto the green and to the cup. Furthermore, the putter should be well balanced with the weight preferably distributed at the ends of the putter head to facilitate optimum stability in striking the ball at the center or "sweet spot" of the putter. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a putter having weighted heel and toe margins with the "sweet spot" located between these margins, which putter is designed to impart forward spin to the ball and prevent the ball from hopping or skipping, particularly in the course of undertaking long putts. A putter should also be designed to minimize the effect of the tendency of golfers to slightly pivot the putter horizontally if the ball is not struck more or less in line with the center of gravity of the club at the "sweet spot" and one which will compensate for deviations in vertically positioning or "rolling" the putter shaft with respect to the green as the ball is viewed by the golfer and the putter is aligned with the ball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical of the prior art golf putters known in the art is the "Golf Putter" detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,684, dated Oct. 10, 1989, to Stephanie A. Dippel. The golf putter has a substantially cylindrical club head made from a tough, resilient, non-metallic, plastic material and has weight-receiving receptacles recessed in each of the heel and toe ends. Weight inserts are provided in the weight-receiving receptacles and the diameter of the cylindrical club head is smaller than the diameter of a ball to be played. A visual alignment mark extends circumferentially partially around the cylindrical body at a position equidistant between the heel and toe ends and thus, just toward the toe and from the position at which a conventional shaft is coupled to the club head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,015, dated Feb. 20, 1990, to David G. Nebbia, details a "Golf Putter" having a putter head with rounded front and rear faces and a flat top and bottom. The putter head is substantially truncated cylindrical, with a bracket extension affixed onto the flat top of the putter head and a club shaft receipt aperture disposed in a central portion of the top of the bracket for receiving a club shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,806, dated Mar. 16, 1993, to Alfred J. Burkly, details a "Low-Flight Spin Control Chipper-Putter Golf Clubhead". The golf clubhead is manufactured from tropical hardwoods or metal and has a geometry based on functions of the base diameter of an impacting cylinder. The clubhead includes tapered underfaces, a tapered heel face, grooving on portions of the impact surface to promote spin momentum, swing-weight ports, swingweighting material and an upright shaft and ferrule. U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,060, dated Oct. 11, 1994, to Richard W, Wooten, details a "Golf Putter" having a putter head that includes a forward portion and a tail portion extending opposite from the forward portion. The forward portion includes a laterally-extending, rounded, forward top surface, to which a shaft is attached and a laterally extending, rounded striking surface that extends forwardly and downwardly from the forward top surface. The forward portion further includes a laterally-extending, planar, forward bottom surface extending rearwardly from the striking surface. The tail portion is generally coextensive with the forward portion and includes a laterally-extending, rounded, tail top surface and a laterally-extending, rounded tail bottom surface, which terminates in a rearmost tail tip. The putter forward portion defines a forward cavity and the tail portion defines a tail cavity, each of which are filled with lead to add weight to the putter head.
It is an object of this invention to provide a cantilever-weighted golf putter having an elongated putter head fitted with oppositely-disposed heel and toe bores and cantilever-mounted weights of desired magnitude located in the heel and toe bores to facilitate weight adjustment and concentration on the ends of the putter and stabilize the putter during putting.
Another object of this invention is to provide an elongated golf putter which is characterized by longitudinal heel and toe bores fitted with threaded plugs that mount corresponding bolts having threaded weights thereon, to define a dual cantilever-mounted weight system that distributes the weight of the cantilever-mounted weights at the heel and toe ends of the golf putter, thereby stabilizing the golf putter in use.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cantilever-weighted golf putter which is characterized by an elongated putter head having a flat top surface, rounded bottom and side surfaces and an internal longitudinal heel bore and toe bore for receiving a pair of cantilever-mounted bolts and internally-threaded weights attached to the bolts, to distribute the weight of the weight system at the heel and toe ends of the elongated putter head, rather than along the length of the heel bore and toe bore and therefore facilitate greater stability in striking a golf ball at the "sweet spot" located on the putter head between the heel and toe cantilever weight systems.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an elongated putter head for a golf putter, which putter head is characterized by a flat top having a shaft mount bore for receiving and mounting a conventional shaft and rounded bottom and sides, with a rounded "sweet spot" at the center of the putter head. Longitudinal heel and toe bores are provided in the heel and toe ends of the putter head, which heel and toe bores are longitudinally aligned, terminate short of the "sweet spot" and are each designed to receive a cantilever-mounted bolt and weight system, create a moment at the ends of the heel and toe of the putter head and stabilize the putter during use.